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Restoration Progress

Suffolk County has appropriated and the Legislature approved $300,000 to replace the roof on the lighthouse.

The County is in the process of engaging a firm to design and plan the process. The new roof will hopefully be installed in 2017. The County also plans to replace the windows and doors and repair the masonry so as to complete the exterior renovation. The lantern, which we have already restored, will be reinstalled atop the lighthouse when the new roof is completed. Until then, the lantern will remain at the Sag Harbor Yacht Yard on Bay Street in Sag Harbor.

Since Suffolk County is focused on the restoration of the exterior of the Lighthouse, we are focusing on the interior which was totally destroyed by a fire in 1974. We will shortly be selecting an architect to design the interior which will essentially replicate the original layout. We will be applying for a grant from New York State to fund the planning.

On the fundraising front, we will shortly be sending a communication requesting donations to every resident in the Sag Harbor zip code. If that is successful, we will mail to all the residents in East Hampton.

We are also applying for a New York State Historic Preservation Grant to fund the cost of preparing architectural and construction plans for the interior of the lighthouse. The rehabilitated interior will contain a living room, kitchen and keeper’s quarters on the first floor . The second floor will contain two bedrooms plus a museum room.

This summer the lantern underwent a renovation at the Sag Harbor Yacht Yard. It was cleaned and sand blasted. Then holes in the metal as a result of rust were filled. The lantern was primed with a zinc primer, followed by a coat of epoxie and then two coats of gloss black urethene. A new ball and chimney are being cast at a foundry in Richmond VA. A new door between the lantern and the outside platform was fabriated in Chicago. New hinges are being fabricated in a maching shop in Sag Harbor. We transported the lantern to the lawn of the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum where it will reside until we reinstall it on the lighthouse in 2015. Everyone at the Whaling Museum has been very helpful and cooperative. Our next phase will be the replacement of the roof and the installation of new windows and doors. We will be working to raise the funds this winter (we need at least $200,000).

The Suffolk County Legislature approved legislation to extend its agreement with us until december 31, 2029 and authorized us to operate the Cedar Island Lighthouse as a Bed N Breakfast after the restoration. The Legislature also appropriated $50,000 in the 2015 budget for renovations.Legislator Jay Schneiderman has been instrumantal in this process and we are very grateful to him.

Legislator Schneiderman organized a press trip to the lighthouse attended by reporters from the Sag Harbor Express, The East Hampton Star, The East Hampon Independent and the East Hampton Press. Each has published a story about the Cedar Island Lighthouse and the restoration. (Search their websites for the articles)

The lantern, which is now at the Sag Harbor Yacht Yard, is being restored. Next month the lantern will be cleaned and painted to protect it for at least 50 years. A new ventilator ball will be cast to replace the existing damaged ball. Once the lantern is replaced on the Cedar Island Lighthouse, new windows will be installed.

Contractor Express and the Lucas Family have generously offered to donate the materials for a new roof for the lighthouse.

We are extremely thankful for this generous donation. We are now working with Sandpebble Builders to develop a budget for the new roof.